Portland sheep are stars on TV

Two Dorset farmers are bringing the Portland sheep to national attention with help from celebrity chef James Martin.

Steve Gould and Tess Evans, and their flock of sheep, will appear in an episode of a new show, with the working title James Martin's Home Comforts, which is expected to run next month.

Steve and Tess have kept Portland sheep for many years and have been working to conserve this rare breed, which is classified as 'at risk' by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

James's team filmed at Steeptonbill Farm with Steve and Tess last December, then at Yalbury Cottage, Lower Bockhampton, where chef owner Jamie Jones demonstrated cooking a whole loin of Portland mutton for the cameras. The next filming was at James Martin's kitchen studio, when Steve and Tess joined the Saturday Kitchen chef while he cooked up a hot pot using a leg of their mutton.